Thursday, April 19, 2012

because i worry about the important things like keeping you alive and there's no more room in my brain thank you dash i do know that my sunglasses are on top of my head yes i'll turn up the music i love that you feel bach in your legs and next to your heart but i think i feel bach right smack in the middle of my heart and a bit going up the back of my neck dash did you know these aren't songs they are pieces called the goldberg variations dude you must chill i'll define the word a variation is a version of something that stays fundamentally the same with a bit of a change a shift a modification like me this morning when I used that tinted eyebrow gel no not tintin's eyebrow gel it's tinted as in expresso-colored no i'm not laughing at you wowyou think the makeup makes me look younger i'm still mama but i'm a little different see now that's a kick ass variation

I make the same food over and over again. Recipe variations take up very little brain space. Trust me. Memorize a few of your favorites, get out of your head, absorb the recipes into your hands, and then start to play. If you need inspiration, you can start with my two favorites: salad dressing and onion tart.

SALAD DRESSING:

It's a bit different every time I make it. You don't need fancy oil or vinegar. Just vary it a bit every time so that you don't get sick of the flavor. Don't add salt to the dressing. Instead, sprinkle coarse salt on the greens when you toss them with the dressing (use your hands).

I usually do 2 parts extra virgin olive oil to 1 part vinegar. Any combination of champagne, white wine, red wine, and sherry wine vinegars will do. I avoid balsamic, apple cider, and rice wine vinegars because they tend to overpower the dressing.

Peel and finely dice a few shallots. With a mortar and pestle (or on a cutting board with a chef knife), bash an anchovy fillet and a peeled garlic clove into a paste. If it is large enough, use your mortar as as your mixing bowl. To the anchovy/garlic puree, add the diced shallots and some vinegars (maybe 4 or so tablespoons) and stir together. Set aside for 10 minutes. Whisk in a few teaspoons of creamy dijon mustard. Slowly whisk in olive oil (maybe 8 or so tablespoons). It should start to emulsify after about half of the olive oil is added. Taste. I like it nice and tangy but add more olive oil if you like it mellower. Store in a jar. It keeps for a week. No need to put it in the fridge.

A few things to play with. Crank up the garlic and anchovy flavor. Use lemon juice instead of vinegar. Mix in chopped capers. Use spring onions instead of shallots.Whisk in some caramelized onions (see below). Add chopped mint to your salad. Or whole parsley and celery leaves. Or lemon zest.

Other uses for the dressing: as a marinade for chicken or fish, on a sandwich, drizzled over pizza, or as a dip for your kids' vegetables. But the best thing ever is to slurp it out of what Dash calls "avocado bowls."

There's no point in caramelizing one onion. It's too much work for so little reward. And the resulting jam is just too fucking tasty. I usually do 8-10 onions which supply me with enough caramelized onions for one big tart (I'm left with an extra jarful to add to pastas, sandwiches, and salad dressings). You can also cook down a combination of onions, leeks, green garlic, and spring onions. Be warned that red onions taste great cooked but they look hella ugly when caramelized.

To start, peel and slice onions as thinly as possible (but don't be perfect about it). Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan with a big splash of olive oil. Throw in 2 tablespoons of butter. Add onions. Stir. Add a few teaspoons of salt (many say to add salt at the end for more even cooking but I'm a little stuck in my ways here and I love the juices that are released). Add a sprig or two of thyme. Turn to medium heat. Keep stirring every few minutes. When the onions have softened a bit, turn fire down to low, throw on a lid, and make yourself some tea. Don't start drinking wine yet. Your tart won't be done for hours. Remove lid and stir every 10 minutes or so. Make sure it's not browning. After about an hour, remove lid for good and boil away most of the onion liquid. Stay with it. Don't let it burn. Stir, stir, stir until it's honey-colored. Remove from heat. Locate thyme stems and discard.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out tart dough or puff pastry (keep free form or press into a tart pan). Prebake shell for about 10 minutes. Spread a thick layer of the cooked onions all over the partially baked pastry shell. It's fine if all the components are warm. Here's where you can play. Add black olives and anchovies for a more classic pissaladière. Make a pattern with peeled, cooked, and sliced yukon gold potatoes (sprinkled with salt and painted with garlic confit oil?). Tuck cooked bacon under the potato slices. Maybe scatter some halved cherry tomatoes all over the top. Or place a layer of wilted winter greens mixed with garlic and lemon zest on top of the onions. Bake until crust is cooked through and the top is nicely browned. Serve warm or room temperature.

61 comments:

Hey lovely, Here's to variations - Bach or edible! You are so right that just a few really good basic techniques in the kitchen will take you far. I would be happy to eat that onion tart and a good salad any time:)xxooE

Great Recipes! The salad dressing especially will come in handy as I am going back to school full time :) I finally lost my key's for good, haven't been able to locate them in two weeks!! I'm assuming I ACTUALLY lost them. Happy Weekend!!

Just came across your blog, it is wonderful! These recipes look wonderful. I too don't believe in kids food and do very much believe in cooking with them. Although I am not a chef I am an occupational therapist (and mom) that helps kids with feeding difficulties. Your blog gives me new inspiration.

If anyone is looking for help with improving your kid's eating check out my blog at www.YourKidsTable.com

will try both things and had an aha moment here...always love that. what was it? the bit about the strong vinegars...buying new vinegars today. i lose my favorite bra. all the time. and only figure it out once i'm topless. will work on this. the brain is full, you're right.

So wonderful. Looking forward to making it and visiting your blog again! But please, do be careful about keeping anything with garlic and oil at room temperature. Once my husband and I infused an oil with garlic and used it after being unrefrigerated a few days,and we got very, very sick. http://www.bchu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1092&Itemid=468

First time visit to your blog, I saw the avocado salad on Ex-presso blog and had to come check it out! So creative, a lovely post format and beautiful photographs! Can't wait to try out that salad dressing!

I agree with no potty mouth. There are so many great words in the English language that are descriptive for good cooking. But, that would take a little time and 'food for thought'. It devalues your work as far as I'm concerned.

I disagree about the "potty mouth"... it made me want to read more , as I can feel the emotion in the writing, a real person who I can identify with has written this... thank you for not censoring out the realness just so people wont be offended. I will be trying the salad for sure!

"Fucking" is one of the best words in the English language. Well placed and keeping it real. Love this blog but trying to figure out how to print without using all my color cartridge up. Any chance there is a way to just print the recipe?? I spend more time cooking and gardening then on a computer...

Divine dressing recipe, the whole family loved it! Made it for the avocado salad which was so perfect, I am now craving to try it on some fresh tomatoes and mozzarella.I love the variations, looking forward to reading more of your blog, thank you.And p.s. your writing style is sexy and fun, I hope you always ignore these lame-o naysayers!

I can't wait to try this dressing, with all of it's many incarnations! I seem to be incapable of going anywhere without bringing home some of the local, so there's lots of vinegars at my house to play with. Thanks!

Best blog I have ever found. I love it. I want you to be my new bff. It's great that you drop the f bomb, as in real life. My real life anyway. And I love that you speak to your kid like he is a person, not a short dimwit. Kids are people without as much life experience as us and getting them ready to fully participate in the world is hard, hard work. Seems like you've got a handle on it. I am now going to the kitchen. That salad is on tonight's menu; much less fussy than my usual, although I do make a similar mustard vinaigrette. That is something I see no point in not making since it takes seconds, not minutes, to throw together. I even buy anchovy paste to really keep it simple.

Someone asked me this question over the weekend and I must have really raised an eyebrow or something, because the person went on to

Buy Yacon Syrup United Kingdom say she really just wanted to have the BEST wedding possible and how do you go about getting it?Someone asked me this question over the weekend and I must have really raised an eyebrow or something,because the person went on to say she really just wanted to have the BEST wedding possible and how do you go about getting it?

the first F-bomb actually made me laugh out loud...i cannot go buy romaine and avocados soon enough....smashed anchovy...OMG i love the whole idea...it is swirling around as i type and i cannot wait to eat it...

This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here keep up the good work

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Oh how I love reading your stories about food, family, relationships, struggles, triumphs, and everything in between. I also welcome questions about anything food- or parenting-related. Or just surprise me! Currently, I'm not doing any advertising, sponsorships, or giveaways. And I never ever accept free shit. Even if it's spectacular! But feel free to tell me about your new awesome product. I love knowing what's out there. And who knows, I might even mention it to my neighbor. Here's how you can reach me: dashandbella@gmail.com

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About Me

Phyllis worked in pastry at New York City's Bouley, Michael's, and Nobu. She tired quickly of sugar and burning her forearms and never sleeping. Fifteen years later she started "Dash and Bella," named after her son (6) and her daughter (11). With a focus on cooking with and for children, her blog includes photos, step-by-step instructions, food preparation tips, and her own recipes for cooking delicious, seasonal, and healthful meals. She doesn't believe in "kid food," doesn't oversimplify, and involves her kids in every step of the cooking process.